This invention generally relates to a guardrail and, more particularly, to a unique rigid guardrail assembly which can be quickly installed, dismantled, moved and reassembled, in factories, parking lots, stadiums, stairways, porches, balconies and the like.
Steel guardrails are commonly used in factories and warehouses to direct forklift traffic and to protect machinery from being hit by forklifts or other potentially damaging objects present in factories and warehouses. While steel guardrails are quite strong, they also generally are quite rigid and, therefore, do not possess high energy absorbing capabilities. Another disadvantage of steel guardrails is that they require maintenance because they rust. An alternative to steel guardrails are plastic guardrails which, as compared with steel guardrails, can be energy absorbing, are low maintenance, and also have the advantage of being easily color-coded. Unfortunately, plastic guardrails do not provide the same strength that is a desirable characteristic of steel guardrails. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have available guardrails which combine the respective desirable characteristics of plastic and steel guardrails.
A common drawback to many currently available steel, plastic or steel/plastic guardrail assemblies is that once they are assembled in one place, they essentially become fixtures in that location. Hence, although such guardrail assemblies are common, they are not easily removed from one location and reassembled in another location. As a result, there exists a need for an improved guardrail assembly which combines the desirable characteristics of plastic and steel guardrail assemblies, yet allows the ready assemblage and disassemblage of such a guardrail assembly.